BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Two deaths have been recorded in Barbados as a result of the current dengue fever outbreak in the country.

The country’s ministry of health says there was one confirmed case, a 70-year-old male, and a suspected case, a 48-year-old male.

The 70-year-old man had shown signs of recovering from dengue and was discharged from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital but was readmitted with another ailment to which he succumbed.

Additionally, the 48-year-old had other severe comorbidities, including chronic renal failure. He also passed away at the hospital.

The current outbreak began in October 2023 and continued into the beginning of the new year.

However, the ministry recently reported that the outbreak has shown some signs of slowing down.

Up to the end of December 22, 2023, the total confirmed cases for the year had increased to 428, with 2,105 clinically suspected cases. Type two remained the predominant serotype identified, followed by serotype three of the dengue virus.

This compares to 2022, when there were no confirmed cases and only 24 suspected cases.

Dengue is an acute mosquito-borne febrile illness caused by infection with one of the four known dengue viruses.

It is endemic in Barbados with occasional outbreaks.